He was in Milwaukee come to win the title. Eventually, Damian Lillard goes on vacation in the first round of the playoffs. Injured, the leader insisted on playing this Game 6, but that changed nothing for the Bucks…
“I wouldn't have been okay this summer if I had felt like I was abandoning the team without trying to play” explained the former Blazers playerhampered by an Achilles tendon injury.
Despite his 28 points, the Bucks still bit the dust at the Pacers, and it was the end of a particularly frustrating first year for Damian Lillard and his teammates. The group thus never found its cruising speed in the regular season, with the dismissal ofAdrian Griffin and the arrival of Doc Rivers during the campaign, while injuries to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard hampered the end of the season.
“On a basketball and personal level, there were difficult moments, but it was never a problem with Milwaukee”
“It’s really disappointing because we know how much better our team is when he’s on the field and how much things change when he’s on the field.”regretted Damian Lillard on the absence of the “Greek Freak”, injured in the calf, throughout this first round. “You play a whole season of 82 matches. You go through training camp, you go through all the ups and downs of an NBA regular season, and you get to the point where it all comes down to it. And you are not complete. You don't have the best chance of getting where you want to get to. So it’s frustrating, it’s disappointing, but it’s part of the game.”
Since the arrival of Doc Rivers in January, Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo have only been able to play nine games together. The “Big Three”, still under contract next year, now hope to take advantage of the summer to develop their understanding, in order to come back stronger next season.
“It’s been a roller coaster year, but I think for me personally it’s mostly been a year of growth.”still concluded Damian Lillard. “There were difficult times. I didn't deny it. On a basketball and personal level, there were difficult times, but that was never a problem with Milwaukee. I have the opportunity to play with Giannis. I play with veterans. I know the only thing we want is to win the title, and that's why I decided to be part of something like this. »
| Damian Lillard | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2012-13 | POR | 82 | 39 | 42.9 | 36.8 | 84.4 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 6.5 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 19.1 |
| 2013-14 | POR | 82 | 36 | 42.4 | 39.4 | 87.1 | 0.4 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 5.6 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 20.7 |
| 2014-15 | POR | 82 | 36 | 43.4 | 34.3 | 86.4 | 0.6 | 4.0 | 4.6 | 6.2 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 21.0 |
| 2015-16 | POR | 75 | 36 | 41.9 | 37.5 | 89.2 | 0.6 | 3.4 | 4.0 | 6.8 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 25.1 |
| 2016-17 | POR | 75 | 36 | 44.4 | 37.0 | 89.5 | 0.6 | 4.3 | 4.9 | 5.9 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 2.6 | 0.3 | 27.0 |
| 2017-18 | POR | 73 | 37 | 43.9 | 36.1 | 91.6 | 0.9 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 6.6 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 26.9 |
| 2018-19 | POR | 80 | 36 | 44.4 | 36.9 | 91.2 | 0.9 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 6.9 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 25.8 |
| 2019-20 | POR | 66 | 38 | 46.3 | 40.1 | 88.8 | 0.5 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 8.0 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 2.9 | 0.3 | 30.0 |
| 2020-21 | POR | 67 | 36 | 45.1 | 39.1 | 92.8 | 0.5 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 7.5 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 28.8 |
| 2021-22 | POR | 29 | 36 | 40.2 | 32.4 | 87.8 | 0.5 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 7.3 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 2.9 | 0.4 | 24.0 |
| 2022-23 | POR | 58 | 36 | 46.3 | 37.1 | 91.4 | 0.8 | 4.0 | 4.8 | 7.3 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 32.2 |
| 2023-24 | MIL | 73 | 35 | 42.4 | 35.4 | 92.0 | 0.5 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 7.0 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 2.6 | 0.3 | 24.3 |
| Total | 842 | 36 | 43.8 | 37.1 | 89.7 | 0.6 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 6.7 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 25.1 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
